Cockroach

Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria. The name cockroach comes from the Spanish word cucaracha, chafer, beetle, from cuca "kind of caterpillar." The scientific name derives from the Latinized Greek name for the insect (Doric Greek: βλάττα, blátta; Ionic and Attic Greek: βλάττη, bláttē; Latin: Blatta).

There are about 4,500 species of cockroach, of which 30 species are associated with human habitations and about four species are well known as pests.